Condenser



March 1 1, V 1930.

R. B. BENJAMIN CONDENSER Filed June 11 1927 anneau e nummern, or

having two independently adjustablefmeans,

one of said adjustable means comprising means for causing a Variation. of the capacity curve which variation is greatest at the minimum capacity end of the curve, and the other adjustable means causing a variation ot 'the capacity curve which variation is greatest at the maximum capacity end oi the curve.

AA further object of my invention is to provide a condenser construction haying improved means for housing and shielding the condenser plates; n

A. further object of my invention is to provide la condenser construction which will be durable, eihoient, cheap', and easy to assemble.

Further objects will appear trom the description and claims.'

Inthe drawings, in which an embodiment .or my invention is shown,

Figure '1 is an elevational view ot a gang condenser, parts being broken away to show the interior construction; d

Fig. 2 is a section on the line @-2 ot F ig. l;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view from the left of Fig. l; y

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 showing the connection between the slider and actuating shaft;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a ball retaining spring; Y

Fig. 6' is a detail view of an auxiliary condenser late; and

Fig. is a view of a chart showing the capacity curves obtained by various condenser adjustments.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the gang condenser shown therein oomprises a plurality ot condenser units arranged in tandem, a rotatable threaded shaft l for actuating the sliders 2 of all of these condenser units housing meanscooperating with the stators 3 for housing and ,shielding the condenser plates, and means whereby the maximum capacity of each unit may be varied without a corresponding variation of the minimum caeen, rrmrnors, residuen fro contreien, or inn V in.

pacity, and means whereby the minimum capacity ot eachcondenser unit may be varied without a 'corresponding variation et the maximum capacity.

Each condenser unit comprises a stator 3 and a slider 2. l-Each ot these may be formed as a die casting ot aluminum or other suitable material. 'lhe stator S comprisesa head from which the concentric tapering condenser plat-es l extend, this head having annular recesses 5 in both of its faces to receive the circular edge ot a cylindrical metal housing Amen/iber 6 which, together with the head portion oit the stator :terms a housing and shielding member to keep foreign material out oi' the interior construction of the condenser and to shield the condenser plates to prevent exterior electrical tields from adecting the action of the condenser. 'llhe rotatable threaded shaft has a working fit in the stators 3 which cooperate to form bearing supports for this shaft.

Each slider may be formed as a die casting and comprises a head portion from which the concentrictapering condenser lates 7 extend. These concentric plates may e of ditlerent heights and may be designed so as to cooperate with the corresponding plates t on-the stator to give' the desired capacity curve. ln order to insulate the respective slider elements each is mounted on a pair of insulating disks 8 which tit snugly in, recesses in the slider. ln order to provide a threaded connection with the rotatably threaded shaft the two insulating disks are mounted on a metal sleeve 9 which sleeve has an opening in which is snugly fitted a ball l0 which rides in the helical groove 1l in the shaft. ln order to hold this ball snugly in engagement with the walls ot the groove, a leaf spring member is provided having a ring mounting portion which nts against an annular shoulder on the metal sleeve 9 and having a spring tongue portion 13 wh ich extends over the ball l0 and presses it radially inward. The metal sleeve 9 may be secured to the insulating disks 8 by having its ends riveted over as indicated at Ll.

The condenser units may be heldtogether' and the housing members 6 held in place by means ot three longitudinally extending screws which pass through openings in the flanges of the stationary condenser elements, and are threaded into the front liead 16 of the condenser. The entire gang condenser may be secured tothe panel of a receiving set --by means of screws extending thru .bosses or feet 17 on the condenser head 16.

Suitable wiring connections 18 are provided for the slider element-s ot' the condenser connected in any suitable manner to the slider as indicated at 19 and extending Athrough eyelets 20 mounted'in insulating disks 21 secured to the shell members. Each slider ele` vment. is provided with an adjustable guide member 22-which serves to hold the slider against rotation when the rotatable shaft is turned andthe adjacent of whichenables the capacity curve obtained by rotation of the shaft 1 to be varied, the variation vthus effected changing the capacity curve throughout substantiallythe range of movement of the condenser, but providing a greater varia- -ment 3. The circumferential adjustment of this arcuate plate is effected by means of a `pair of screws 25 extending through slots 26 inthe cylindrical shell or casing member 6 and threaded into the arcuate guide member '22. By adjusting this channeled guide member 22 circumferentially in ,one direction the slider may be caused to approach more closely the stationary condenser element at its extreme inward movement (thus increasing the maximumv capacity), and by adjusting the channeled vguide plate in the other direction the slider element will be caused to approach less closely to the stator element in its extreme inward position (thus decreasing the maximum capacity). This circumferential adjustment of the channeled guide plate will v cause a variation in the capacity curve throughout substantially the entire range ot `movement of the condenser but it will produce a greater variation at the maximum capacity end of the curve than it will at the minimum capacity end oi the curve as a slight difference in the distance between the slider and stator has a considerable el'ect when the two elements are relatively close together, whereas, a slight change in the distance between the two condenser elements has a relatively small effect when the two elements are relatively remote. However, the adjustment does affect the curve throughout substantially the entire range of the condenser movement as is shown by curves A and B in Figure 7. These curves correspond to curves obtained by actual tests ot a condenser constructed in accordance with the disclosure in this application. Curve-A shows the capacity in M. M. F. the vertical axis corresponding t0 dial movement in degrees on the horizontal axis with the channeled guide plate set to give the least possible capacit-y at the maximum capacity end of the curve (which 4coriesponds vto the extreme inward position of the slider condenser element). The curve B is the capacity curve obtained when the channeled guide member is set to give the greater possible capacity at the maximum capacity end of the curve. i It will be seen that the curves A and B start at practically the same point at `the lzero dial position, and gradually diverge as the dial position increases. until at the 340 dial position' there is about M. M. F. difference between the maximum capacity of. curve A and the maximum capacity of curve B.

As will be explained in detail, anotheradjustinent is provided which alsol varies the capacity curve'throughout substantially the entire range of movement but which, in contrast to the adjustment just described, produces a greater variation in the minimum capacity end of the curve. By a proper combining ot the two adjustments the capacity curve may be adjusted within limits to vary' the rate of change of capacity as desired. This second adjustment, asillustrated, comprises an auxiliary arcuate condenser plate 27 which is located ladjacent the periphery" of the slider element 2 when the slider element is in its most distant position with respect to the stator element 3. This auxiliary condenser plate 27 may be vadjusted radially in or out with respect to the slider element by means of a thumb nut 28 having a threaded engagement with a stud 29 secured to the auxiliary condenser plate 27 and extending out through an opening in the cylindrical casing shell 6. In order to guide this auxiliary plate into in and out movement and prevent the stud from turning with the nut, one edge of the auxiliary yplate is caused to bear against the flange 30 on the stator element. In order to limit -the inward movement of the auxiliary condenser plate a cir.- cular flange 3,1 is provided on the stator plate withwhich the arcuate flange 32 on the auxiliary condenser plate comes into contact to limit its inward movement. This flange is odset with respect to the body portion ofthe auxiliary condenser nlate'in order to enable the auxiliary plate to be moved sufficiently near the slider element and in order to give stiffness to the auxiliary plate. ln order to move the auxiliary condenser plate .inward when the thumb nut loosened to permit inward movement, ay leaf spring 33 is provided, the central'portion ot' which is aper- Sured to permit the passage or' the stud l29 on the condenser plate, and the ends of whichl llti i change in the radial adjustment of the auxbear against the inner surface of the cylindrical casing shell.

ln order to hold the rotatable shaft against end pla'yit is provided with a collar 34 which bears against the condenser head and whichv is held against this head by means of a spring spider 35, the legs of which bear against the front face of the condenser head, and the central portion of which bears against a collar 36 secured to the rotatable shaft l by means of a set screw 37. In order to limit the rotation of the .actuating shaft a stop iange 38 is secured to the collar 36, this stop iiange havinga stop linger 39 which engages a stop lug 40 formed integral with the condenser head.

By adjusting this auxiliary condenser plate 27 radially in or out the capacity curve obtained by movement of the slider may be varied throughout substantially the entire range of movement, but the greater variation will be obtained at the minimum capacity end ot the curve as contrasted with the variation obtained by the adjustment of the channeled guide member 22 which is greatest at the maximum capacity end of the curve. rllhe reasons for the greater effect of the auxiliary condenser plate at the minimum capacity end of the curve is that in this pos ton there is the maximum overlap between the slider element andthe auxiliary condenser plate. A

iliary plate 27 will cause a relatively great change in the capacity when the slider element is in its exereme out position, Whereas the same adjustment of the auxiliary Acondenser plate will have relativelyflittle eilectwhen the slider element is in itsextreme in position. This is indicatedyin curves C and D in Fig. 7. Curve C indicates the capacity curve obtained corresponding to dial-adjustments when the auxiliary condenser plate is in its extreme out position giving the smallest possible capacity for the lowc'apacity end of the curve (corresponding to Zero dia-l movement). Curve D is the curve obtained when the auxiliary condenser plate is in its extreme in position giving the greatest possible capacity for the minimum capacity end of the curve. lt will be seen that a difference of almost 10 M. lvl. F. is obtained between the greatest possible minimum capacity and the A condenser construction comprising a stationary element having cylindrical condenser plates and a movable element having cylindrical condenser plates cooperating with said stationary plates', manually operable means for actuating the movable element ior increasing or decreasing the capacity, and adjustable means for varying the capacity curve ot the condenser, comprising means whereby the capacity corresponding to the maximum capacity position of the manually operable actuating means may be varied without as great a variation of the capacity corresponding to the minimum'capacity position of the manually operable actuating means.

2. A condenser construction comprising a stationary element having cylindrical condenser plates and a movable element having cylindrical condenser plates cooperating with said stationary plates, manually operable means for actuating the movable element for increasing or decreasing the capacity, and adjustable means for varying the capacity curve of the condenser, comprising means whereby thev capacity corresponding to the maximum capacity position of the manually operable actuating means may be varied without as great a variation of the capacity corresponding to the minimum capacity position of the manually operable actuating means,

and other adjustable means for varying the .capacity curve comprising means 'whereby the capacity corresponding to theminimum capacity position of the manually operable actuating mea-ns may be varied without as great a variation of the capacity corresponding to the maximum capacity position of the manually operable actuating means.

3. A condenser construction comprising a stationary element having cylindrical condenser plates and a movable element having cylindrical condenser plates cooperating with said stationary plates, manually operable means tor actuating the movable element for increasing or decreasing the capacity, and adjustable means for varying the capacity cirve of the condenser, comprising means whereby 'the capacity corresponding to the minimum capacity position oil the manually operable actuating means may be varied without as great a variation of the capacity corresponding to the maximum capacity position of the manually operable actuating means.

A condenser construction comprising a stationary element having cylindrical condenser plates and a movable element having cylindrical condenser plates cooperating with said stationary plates, manually operable means ier actuating the movable element 'for increasing or decreasing the capacity, and adjustable means for varying the capacity curve or" the condenser, comprising means whereby the capacity coi .vending to the ma i capacit-f.,7 position ot the manually or ,l .n d l actuating means may be varied Without as great a variation or the capacity correspondi ing to the minimum capacity position ot the curve of the condenser, comprising means whereby the capacity corresponding to the minimum capacity position of the manually operable actuating means may be varied without as great a variation of the capacity corresponding to the maximum capacity position of the manually operable actuating means, said manually operable means comprising means for moving the movable condenser elesaid stationary plates, manual actuating means may be varied Without ment longitudinally of the axis of the eylin drical plate elements and said adjustable means comprising an auxiliary adjustable condenser element lying adjacent the movable condenser element when the latter is in its minimum capacity position.

6. Av condenser construction cominl i stationary element having cy Y' denser plates and a movable elem: cylindrical condenser plates coo] means for actuating the movable increasing or decreasing the cap Y justable means for varying the ca i icity cr ofthe comlenser7 comprising mea. ailier ,y the capacity corresponding to the minimum capacity position of the manually operaole great a variation of the capacity coriesponreing to the maximum capacity posi on cit the manually operable actuating meain, saiff manually operable means comprising means for moving the movable condenser e* n ient longitudinally of the axis oi the cy :ical plate elements and said adjustable means comprising an auxiliary adjustable condenser element lyingadjacent the movable condenser element when the latter is in its minimum cav pacity position,l said auxiliary condenser ele-.

ment being curved to conform to the periph ery of the movable condenser element and being adjustable radially ivitlrrespect to said movable condenser element.

.A condenser' construction comprisingr stationary element rovided with conde plates and a meifable element provided condenser plates and tivo independently adj ustable means for varying the capacity curve obtained by movement ol"` said movable element, one of said adjustable means coinprising means for causing a variation olf the curve throughout substantially (he entire Arange of movement and causing a greater ra,- riat-'on in the maximum capacity end oil? the curve than in the rest of the curve, and the other adjustable means comprising means Afor causing a variation ot the curve throughout substantially the entire range of movement and causing a greater variation in theminimum capacity end oi the curve than in the rest of the curve.

ln Witness whereof, I have hereuntoy sublscribed my name.

REUBEN B. BENJAMN.

Ell

l l Ll 

